Tackling diversity in STEM one aspiration at a time

When you grow up...? Tackling diversity in STEM one aspiration at a time

If you ask a child or young person what they want to be when they grow up, then they will probably have at least one idea of something they would like to do.

For over 40 years, there have been numerous reports looking at why careers in STEM are more popular amongst certain groups – namely white, middle class, boys and men. These reports have usually been followed by initiatives aimed at changing this balance.

In many initiatives the focus was often on individual young people, usually in secondary schools. The idea is to ‘inspire’ young people to get them to like science, and then they would follow this liking with choosing a career in STEM. However, even though many young people quite like science, they still don’t want a STEM career.

Attitudes towards different careers start early, by the age of 8 boys and girls say that they want to do different jobs in STEM.

In this inspirational inaugural lecture, Professor Carol Davenport will look at how NUSTEM have been tackling the challenge of developing a more diverse future workforce in STEM. She’ll also answer the question of what do 10 year olds want to be when they grow up.

About the Speaker

Professor Carol Davenport is Professor of STEM engagement and Director of NUSTEM at Northumbria University. 

Carol began working in education at Barnsley College as a Physics lecturer, and later taught at a large North East school.  Moving into teacher education, she worked within the network of Science Learning Centres for over five years, and with the Institute of Physics as a Physics Network Coordinator for the Stimulating Physics Network.

Carol is an experienced curriculum designer and textbook author.  She is also a governor at a local school and college.

Her research interests include career aspirations in young children, and diversity in STEM.